وَلَوْ أَنَّ لِلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا وَمِثْلَهُۥ مَعَهُۥ لَٱفْتَدَوْا۟ بِهِۦ مِن سُوٓءِ ٱلْعَذَابِ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ وَبَدَا لَهُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يَكُونُوا۟ يَحْتَسِبُونَ 47
Translations
And if those who did wrong had all that is in the earth entirely and the like of it with it, they would [attempt to] ransom themselves thereby from the worst of the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. And there will appear to them from Allāh that which they had not taken into account.
Transliteration
Wa law anna lilladhina dhalamoo ma fi al-ardi jami'an wa mithlahuhu ma'ahu laftadaw bihi min su'i al-adhabi yawma al-qiyamah wa bada lahum mina Allah ma lam yakunu yahhtasibun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the regret and desperation of the unjust on the Day of Judgment, stating that even if all the wealth on Earth and its equivalent were theirs, they would ransom themselves from severe punishment, yet their redemption would be refused. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this emphasizes the absolute futility of material wealth in the afterlife and the unexpected nature of divine punishment that will befall those who rejected truth. The ayah reveals that wrongdoers will face consequences they never imagined, highlighting Allah's justice and the irreversibility of their choices.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Az-Zumar, a Meccan chapter that addresses the polytheists' denial and false beliefs. It contextualizes the themes of resurrection, accountability, and the worthlessness of worldly possessions in the face of divine judgment, serving as a warning to those who persist in transgression and disbelief.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The world and all things in it are cursed except the remembrance of Allah and what resembles it' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, hadith about the Day of Judgment emphasizes that 'No one's feet will move on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about four matters: how he spent his life, how he spent his youth, where he earned his wealth and how he spent it, and what he did with his knowledge' (Tirmidhi).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that no amount of worldly wealth or possessions can protect one from divine accountability, and that ethical choices in this life carry eternal consequences. It serves as a profound call to prioritize righteousness and God-consciousness over material accumulation, as the true test of one's worth lies in the hereafter, not in earthly possessions.